Telephone coin collector



y 1935- 1.. E. PARSONS 2,049,174

TELEPHONE COIN COLLECTOR Filed Aug. 8, 1955 INVENTOR By LE. PARSONS A TTORNE V Patented July 28, 1936 PATENT OFFICIE 2,049,174 TELEPHONE COIN COLLECTOR Loren E. Parsons, Brooklyn,

Bell Telephone Laboratories,

N. Y., assignor to Incorporated,

New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application August 8, 1935, Serial No. 35,227

5 Claims. (Cl. 194-98) This invention relates to coin controlled apparatus particularly telephone coin collectors wherein the deposit of one or more coins is required for the purpose of obtaining service from the instrument.

Attempts are occasionally made by unscrupulous persons to deposit spurious coins or slugs in coin operated telephone substations which attemptsmay be successful if the slug meets the tests to which it is subjected by the coin collector before acceptance. It isbelieved, however, that if such slugs were made visible immediately after deposit as well as visible to the subsequent user of the instrument,- this fraudulent practice would be considerably reduced, if not eliminated, because of the increased ease of detection. In the usual telephone coin collector of the type disclosed, for'example, in the O. F. Forsberg U. S. Patent 1,043,219, issued November 5, 1912, all coins-are concealed from view as soon as they are deposited. i

' object of the present invention is to providemeans associated with a coin chute in a coin operated device to temporarily expose to view coins immediately after deposit in said chute and to render such coins visible to a subsequent us'er of the instrument.

.In the usual type of telephone coin collector, a coinafter insertion in a coin gauge follows a coin channel until it comes to rest on a pivoted coin trap normally supported in a horizontal position by a pivoted vane which, underzthe control of a polarized relay, can be moved in onevdirection to cause coins-lying on the trap to be discharged into a collect chute while if the vane is moved ini'th'e opposite direction the coin lying on the trap. will be discharged into a refund chute. According to one feature of this invention such .a cointrap is exposed to view by a glass window, for-example, inserted in the front wall of the housing'adjacent the coin trap. When the coin restingon such a trap is discharged after a completed call the coin instead of being passed directly to the cash compartment is temporarily retained iartherdown the chute upon a second coin trap which also may be. exposed to view-by a window in the front wall of the housing. Such a coin on thesecond tra'p'i's retained until the coin from a second completed call is discharged from the first trap whereupon the coin on the second trap is discharged into the cash box while thecoin for the-second call after release from the first trap is kept in view on the second trap. Means are provided to insure that the second trap will have discharged the coin from the first call and returned to its coin retaining position before receiving the coin from the next succeeding completed call. Preferably the arrangement is also such that the second coin trap will not discharge its coins when the first trap is actuated 5 to coin refunding position and will be operated only when the first trap is actuated to coin collect position. 7

Referring to the drawing, Fig. 1 represents a telephone coin collector lower housing with cerl0 tain walls partially removed to disclose the coin collecting and coin refunding apparatus;

Fig. 2 is an external view in perspective of a telephone coin collector equipped with the coin control appartus of this invention; and

Figs. 3, 4, and 5 are schematic views showing different steps in the operation of the coin control apparatus of Fig. 1.

The fragmentary View of a telephone coin collector shown in Fig. 1 is intended to illustrate a collector of the same general type as disclosed in the above-mentioned Forsberg patent except for certain modifications which will be particularly described later. In this figure the upper housing has been removed to show the coin control apparatus mounted on a tray l0 supported by the lower housing H. The front of the lower housing as in the standard coin collector has a refund chute opening I2 and a door l3 normally closing the cash compartment.

As explained in the Forsberg patent, a person wishing to use a telephone coin collector deposits a coin in a com gauge mounted on the upper housing and the coin thereupon passes through a coin chute leading to a coin hopper. It may be assumed that the upper housing for the apparatus of Fig. 1 has a suitable coin gauge and coin chute causing all legitimate deposited coins to drop into the mouth of a coin hopper It. Projecting into the upper part of the coin hopper I4 is a trigger l5 which when struck by a deposited coin serves the purpose as described in the Forsberg patent for establishing circuit connections to place, a polarized relay l8 under the control of the central oflice operator to enable the remote operator to collect or refund the deposited coins depending upon whether the desired telephone connection is. established.

, A deposited coin after striking the coin trigger 15 comes to rest on a pivoted coin trap it which as in the standard coin collector is normally supported in a horizontal position by a pivoted vane l1. As will be explained later, vane I1 is under the control of the coin relay I8. When vane 11, as viewed in Fig. 1, is moved to the right,

trap I6 drops to discharge the coins thereon into a refund chute I9 leading to refund opening l2 as in the standard coin collector. The present invention, however, is concerned with the control of the coin in its path from coin trap |6down the collect chute 29 to the cash compartment behind door I3. The coin collect chute 29 has two coin traps 2| and 22,.inaddition to the main'coin trap Hi. The intermediate coin trap 2| is pivoted externally of the collect chute and has a counterweight 23 which normally holds trap 2| against stop 24 to provide a complete closure for the collect chute at that point. The lower coin trap 22 is also pivoted externally of the collect chute and has a counterweight 25 coin trap 22 against stop 26 to completely close 7 the collect chute at that point.

coin trap l6, arm '29 '29 to provide a support for trap 22, but arm13B as The three coin traps 9, 2| and Ham controlled by the armature 21 of coin relayl8. Armature 2'! which is pivoted along an axis 28 has fastened thereto a, downwardly projecti'ngarmz29 which at itsv lower end has a horizontal extension 39 normally extending through an aperture 3| in the side wall of the collect chute at a point just below coin trap 22 to.hold coin trap 22 in its chute closing position when the. trap is struck by a deposited coin. It will be apparent that lever 29 is adapted to bemoved about the armature axis 28. Adjacent lever 29 is another vertical arm 32 pivoted at its lower end at the point 33,- the other end of the arm 32 having a fork3 l embracing thepin 35 on the coin vane E7 The two arms 29 and 32 are coupled by a link 36 pivoted to each arm. Pivoted at the point 31. is another arm 38 having an extension 39 adapted to project through an aperture'in the side wall of collect chute 29 at a. point just below trap 2|,but in its position shown in Fig. 1 extension 39 does notjproject into collect chute 20 sufiicientlyfar to holdtrap 2| in its chute closing position when the trap is struck by a falling .coin. Arm 3%! is also coupled to the armaturelever 29 by a link 49 which is pivoted to both arms 29 and 38. 1 When armaturezl is in its neutral unactuated position as in Fig. 1 and Fig. 3, arm 32 has coin vane Tin a vertical position supporting the main projects into the collectchute previously. stated does not project into thecollect chute far enough .to prevent trap 2| from falling under-the weight of a deposited coin. -When armature 27 is moved counter-clockwise, armature lever 29 causes arm 32 to move vane clock- .Wise; causes extension 39 to projectrstill farther into the collect chute 20 still holding trap 22 in its coinsupporting position asin the case of V the neutral, arma u sitio and c s s ext o 99 to bBqIIlQVBd away from the collect chute. That is, when armature 21 is moved to coin refunding position; trap. 2| is; still uncontrolled'by extension 39, trap 22, is still held-in coin supporting position and trap I6 is dropped to discharge the coins thereon into-the refund chute I9. 1

When armature 21 is moved clockwise the armature lever 29 causes coin vane 87 to be moved-to the left to drop coin's'onthe main coin trapl9 into collec'tchute 29; causes-the extension 39 to manners area w l w r areneutral position, main coin which normally holds the schematic figures, Nos.

apparatus will now assume the position of Fig. 4. Armature lever 29 in moving to the left releases the lower. trap 22 and allows the previously deposited coin 43 to fall into the cash compartment. The pivoted-vane ll is swung to the left l and coin 42 falls' into collect chute 29 coming temporarily to rest on intermediate coin trap 2| since extension 39 by the application of collect current to relay I8 has-been moved far enough into collect chute 32 to hold trap'2l in coin su 2 porting position. Immediately following :the escapeof coin 43 thelower coin trap 22 due to its counterweight 25 returns. to its chute closing position againststop 29'. When the relay is now deenergized allowing armature 21 to return to 2 its neutral position of Figs. 1 and 3 extension .39 is removed allowing the intermediate coin, trap 2| todrop and thereupon coin 42 will'come to rest upon the lower coin trap 22 untilthe relay is again energized withcollect current-to remove 3 support 39 forcoin trap22..:

' It will be apparent that the chief functioniofintermediate coin trap 2| is. to temporarily reg strain coins discharged from they main coin trap I 6 until the lower coin trap 22 has discharged its 3 coin. and returned to its chute closing position I supported by extension arm 39. V

' On the other hand, it may be assumed that the call for which coin 42 was deposited was not com;

pleted. Theremote; operator will then apply refund current to coin relay I8. and armature 2 1 Willbe moved counter-clockwise to cause the ar- 7 mature control lovers to assume, the relative post tions shown in Fig. 5. Vane I1 is thrown to the h right allowing coin 42 to fall unimpeded'through refund chute S'to refund opening l2. The move: ment of main armature lever .29 counter-clock? wise causes no change inits controlrover auxiliary coin traps 2| and 22,.since armature extension 39 is merely moved farther chute zfi andaextension arm 30is moved farther out of collect into the collect'chute so'that the lower coin trapf 22 with coin 43 thereon is held-in coin supporting position even when the levers are moved to coin refunding position} Y 1 1 V The upper housing 44' of Fig. 2 for enclosing the apparatus mounted on tray ID" of Fig; 1 preferably has a 'window'45 o pposite coin trap 19 and 'anothe'r window 46 'opposite coin trap22.

order {that any coin onvisible through window 45 front wall of the coin hopper between' th'e windowand the coin trap maybe aperturedor pro videdwith ai wire-gratingl'lto enable a'clear view of theinterior of the-coin-hopper just above coin trap IS. A similar gratin'g' ma'y be employed in the front wall of coincliute 29' 'just above the lower coin trap. 22 so as to of any coin on the lower coin a f p. .winacwsas and, 46 maybe of plane gl s qr maXcompn-se coin'trap [6 maybe -the portioni-of the v provide a clear view 70 magnifying lenses, ,ifdesiredjIt may also be 'desirableto provide artificial illumination within r ps'i'i d? It will therefore be seen that the arrangement of this invention enables the inspection of any coin deposited for a given telephone call and also for the inspection at the same time of any coin deposited for the previous completed telephone call. It should be noted that any coin on lowercoin trap 22 is not removed by the refunding of a later deposited coin but remains in view on trap 22 until vane I1 is moved again to coin collecting position.

While only one embodiment of this invention has been illustrated in the drawing, it is to be understood that alternative arrangements are contemplated commensurate with the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A coin collector housing comprising a coin receptacle, a pivoted coin trap in said receptacle, 9. collect chute, a refund chute, means for temporarily holding said trap in position to support coins deposited thereon, said means when released permitting at times the discharge of coins from said trap into said collect chute and at other times into said refund chute, a second coin trap in said collect chute for temporarily supporting coins discharged from said first trap, holding means for said second trap, means for releasing said second trap when said first trap is released to discharge its coins into said collect chute while preventing the release of said second trap when said first trap is released to discharge its coins into said refund chute, and means for rendering both of said coin traps visible from outside said housing.

2. A coin collector housing comprising a coin trap for temporarily retaining deposited coins, holding means for said trap, a collect chute, a refund chute, a relay for controlling said holding means to direct at times coins from said trap into said collect chute and at other times into said refund chute, a second coin trap in said collect chute for temporarily retaining coins discharged into said collect chute by said first trap, means controlled by said relay for holding said second trap in coin supporting position and for releasing said second trap to discharge its coins when said first trap is released to discharge its coins into said collect chute while preventing the release of said second trap when said first trap is released to discharge its coins into said refund chute and means for rendering both of said coin traps visible from outside said housing.

3. A coin collector housing comprising a coin trap for temporarily retaining deposited coins, holding means for said trap, a collect chute, a refund chute, a relay for controlling said holding means to direct at times coins from said trap into said collect chute and at other times into said refund chute, a second coin trap in said collect chute for temporarily retaining coins discharged into said collect chute by said first trap, means controlled by said relay for holding said second trap in coin supporting position and for releasing said second trap to discharge its coins when said first trap is released to discharge its coins into said collect chute, means for delaying the arrival at said second trap of coins from said first trap until said second trap has been restored to its coin supporting position, and means for rendering both of said coin traps visible from outside said housing.

4. A coin collector housing in accordance with claim 3 in which said delaying means comprises a third coin trap and holding means therefor controlled by said relay.

5. A telephone coin collector of the prepayment type comprising a housing, said housing comprising a main coin chute, a collect chute and a refund chute each adapted to receive coins from said main chute, means for temporarily retaining in said main chute a coin deposited for one call, means for temporarily retaining in said collect chute a coin deposited for an earlier completed call, a relay for releasing said first means to direct its coin at times into said refund chute and at other times into said collect chute, said relay controlling the release of said second means when said first means is released to direct its coin into said collect chute while preventing the release of said second means when said first means is released to direct its coininto said refund chute, and means for exposing to view from outside said housing the coins on both of said retaining means.

LOREN E. PARSONS. 

